Surface-cleaning machine with on-board operator

ABSTRACT

A surface-cleaning machine with on-board operator, such as a floor washing-drying machine, a floor washing machine, a sweeper, a high-pressure cleaner, a vacuum cleaner, or similar machines including an operators compartment including a footboard that defines a first fixed reference surface, having adjacent to it at least one pedal to control the surface cleaning machine. The footboard includes at least one resting member defining a second resting surface, with the second resting surface being adjustable with respect to the first fixed reference surface.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention refers to a surface-cleaning machine with on-board operator, such as a floor washing-drying machine, a floor washing machine, a sweeper, a high-pressure cleaner, a vacuum cleaner, or similar machines, and, in particular, to a footboard of an operator's compartment on the surface-cleaning machine.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

A surface-cleaning machine with on-board operator is used to carry out basic cleaning and maintenance operations for every type of surface in an environment, such as for example a work space, an industrial space, a commercial space, a railway station, an airport terminal, a hospital, a nursing home, a health-care centre, etc.

The surface-cleaning machine with on-board operator is built on a frame, in which a compartment is provided designed to accommodate an operator for using the machine.

Such compartment for the operator comprises a seat and a footboard. The seat is arranged at a distance from the footboard in accordance with a predetermined anthropometric standard, to allow the operator to work in a sitting position, with the feet resting on the footboard. Control pedals operated controlled through the pressure from the operator's feet are arranged adjacent to the footboard.

However, some operator could feel this predefined positioning of the seat with respect to the footboard as uncomfortable, especially when using a frequently used control pedal, such as a drive pedal, to control the forward speed and/or the direction of the surface-cleaning machine.

In fact, as shown in FIG. 1, the operator on the conventional surface-cleaning machine usually actuates the frequently used control pedal while having a heel resting on the footboard. Consequently, the posture of the operator when operating the machine is conditioned by the predefined position of the seat with respect to the footboard, and this could be sensed by the operator as being an unsuitable posture if it does not closely correspond to the anthropometric measurements or the driving preferences of the particular operator.

Therefore, one disadvantage in the conventional surface-cleaning machine with the on-board operator is that the postural ergonomics and comfort of the operator are not guaranteed, irrespective of the anthropometric measurements or the particular driving preferences of the operator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the subject matter of the present invention is to provide a surface-cleaning machine with on-board operator capable of overcoming the drawbacks of the prior art.

Within the abovementioned objective, one purpose of the subject matter of the present invention is to achieve a surface-cleaning machine with on-board operator provided with an improved footboard in the operator's compartment in which the postural ergonomics and comfort the operator are guaranteed, irrespective of his/her anthropometric measurements and particular driving preferences.

One no lesser objective is to provide a surface-cleaning machine with on-board operator that can be achieved with the usual well-known production means.

The objective and the characteristics, as well as the above-mentioned purposes and advantages and others that will be better indicated hereunder are achieved by a surface-cleaning machine with on-board operator as defined in the independent claim and in the dependent claims of the present patent.

LIST OF FIGURES

The invention is explained in detail in the following description through an example of a non-exclusive embodiment given solely by way of non-limiting example with reference to the enclosed figures, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic side view of a conventional surface-cleaning machine with on-board operator controlled by an operator;

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic side view of a surface-cleaning machine with on-board operator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic perspective view of the surface-cleaning machine with on-board operator of FIG. 2 controlled by an operator;

FIG. 4 illustrates an enlarged detail of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic cross sectional view of a resting member according to the embodiment of the present invention, and

FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic view of a circular part of the resting member of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the enclosed FIGS. 2 to 6, a surface-cleaning machine with on-board operator according to the present invention is provided with a compartment 10 for the operator including a seat 20 and an improved footboard 30.

The operator compartment 10 is used to accommodate an operator 12, who may operate the surface-cleaning machine through control pedals adjacent to the footboard 30 while sitting on the seat 20.

According to the present invention, the footboard 30 defines a first fixed reference surface 31 for the operator's feet and includes at least one resting member 50 that defines a second foot-resting surface 51, in which the second resting surface 51 is adjustable relative to the first fixed reference surface 31.

The footboard 30 is provided with a receptacle 58 that is shaped in such a manner as to at least partially accommodate the resting member 50. A peripheral surface of the receptacle 58 is threaded to form a nut screw 35.

The receptacle 58 is housed in the footboard 30, preferably near a control pedal 40, so that the resting member 50 is in a position facing the control pedal 40 at a distance comparable to the size of an operator's foot 14.

The control pedal 40 can be chosen from among pedals of types frequently used, such as a drive pedal to control a forward speed and/or the direction of the surface-cleaning machine, without thereby setting a limit for the present invention.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the resting member 50 consists of a bearing head 52, preferably of disk-like shape, whose perimeter includes the second resting surface 51 and a peripheral surface 53 opposite the second resting surface 51. From the peripheral surface 53, the bearing head 52 extends downward with a threaded stem 54 preferably of cylindrical shape and provided with a threaded side surface. The threaded stem 54 is surrounded by a spring 56, so that a first end portion 57 of the spring 56 is placed in contact with the peripheral surface 53 of the bearing head 52.

The bearing head 52 may include a slot 70 arranged in the second resting surface 51 to enable a screw tightening/loosening tool to engage the slot 70.

In addition, the bearing head 52 may include a plurality of bores 72 arranged in the second resting surface 51 to enable a manual engagement of the bearing head 52.

The resting member 50 is at least partially inserted into the receptacle 58, with the threaded stem 54 screwed into the nut screw 35, so that a second end portion 59 of the spring 56 is placed into contact with a peripheral portion 32 of the receptacle 58, located in a position close to an end portion of the threaded stem 54.

The insertion of the threaded stem 54 into the nut screw 35 can be adjusted by turning the bearing head 52 clockwise or counterclockwise by engaging the slot 70 with the screw tightening/loosening tool, or by operating manually on the plurality of bores 72, with adjustment intervals ranging from a minimum insertion to a maximum insertion of the threaded stem 54 with respect to the nut screw 35.

The minimum insertion is, for example, one in which the second resting surface 51 protrudes from the first fixed reference surface 31 by an extent determined in the design phase, while the maximum insertion is, for example, one in which the second resting surface 51 is flush with the first fixed reference surface 31.

However, this is not a binding condition in the present invention. In fact, the maximum insertion could be one in which the second resting surface 51 is retruded with respect to the first fixed reference surface 31 by an extent determined in the design phase.

The adjustment of the depth of insertion of the threaded stem 54 into the nut screw 35 thus makes it possible to shift the second resting surface 51 with respect to the first fixed reference surface 31 by a desired level and this adjustment is maintained by friction on the threaded stem 54 thanks to a force applied by the spring 56, which urges with its first end portion 57 against the peripheral surface 53 of the bearing head 52 and with its second end portion 59 against the peripheral surface 32 of the receptacle 58.

The operator 12 can therefore operate the control pedal 40 by resting a heel 16 on the second resting surface 51, that has been brought to a desired distance from the seat 20 held fixed with respect to the footboard 30.

From the above it is therefore evident how the surface-cleaning machine with on-board operator according to the present invention achieves the initially set objective and purposes. In fact, a surface-cleaning machine with on-board operator is provided having an improved footboard 30 in the operator's compartment 10, wherein the sitting postural ergonomics and comfort of the operator 12 are guaranteed, independently of the anthropometric measurements or the particular driving preferences of the operator.

In fact, the footboard 30 is equipped with a resting member 50 that makes it possible to adjust the distance between the second resting surface 51 supporting the heel 16 and the seat 20, which is maintained fixed with respect to the footboard 30.

Naturally, the present invention is open to the possibility of numerous applications, changes, further embodiments or variants, without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the present patent application. In addition, all the applications, changes or further embodiments or variants contained in the present document, including those deducible therefrom, may be combined with each other. 

1-7. (canceled)
 8. A surface-cleaning machine comprising: a compartment adapted to accommodate an operator, the compartment including a footboard that defines a first fixed reference surface, which at least one control pedal of the surface-cleaning machine is adjacent to, wherein the footboard comprises at least a resting member that defines a second resting surface, the second resting surface being adjustable relative to the first fixed reference surface.
 9. A surface-cleaning machine according to claim 8, wherein the resting member is situated in a position close to the control pedal.
 10. A surface-cleaning machine according to claim 8, wherein the resting member comprises a bearing head, which is adapted to support a heel of the operator, and which extends downwards with a threaded stem adapted to screw into a nut screw provided in a receptacle of the footboard.
 11. A surface-cleaning machine according to claim 10, wherein the bearing head includes a slot adapted to establish an engagement condition for a tool as needed to adjust a depth of insertion of the threaded stem into the nut screw.
 12. A surface-cleaning machine according to claim 10, wherein the bearing head includes a plurality of bores adapted to allow for a manual engagement for adjustment of a depth of insertion of the threaded stem into the nut screw.
 13. A surface-cleaning machine according to claim 11, wherein the resting member comprises a spring adapted to keep the threaded stem stable in an as-adjusted screwed-in condition thereof in the nut screw.
 14. A surface-cleaning machine according to claim 12, wherein the resting member comprises a spring adapted to keep the threaded stem stable in an as-adjusted screwed-in condition thereof in the nut screw.
 15. A surface-cleaning machine according to claim 13, wherein a first end portion of the spring urges against a peripheral surface of the bearing head and a second end portion of the spring presses against a peripheral surface of the receptacle, the peripheral surface of the receptacle being located in a position close to an end portion of the threaded stem.
 16. A surface-cleaning machine according to claim 14, wherein a first end portion of the spring urges against a peripheral surface of the bearing head and a second end portion of the spring presses against a peripheral surface of the receptacle, the peripheral surface of the receptacle being located in a position close to an end portion of the threaded stem. 